Apple confirmed that the AirPort Utility app will be phased out starting with iOS 27, iPadOS 27, and macOS 27 updates. The company’s latest beta release notes explicitly state the app’s removal from the App Store.
Apple quietly disclosed the app’s impending retirement in the documentation for iOS 27 developer beta 2 and macOS 27 Golden Gate beta 2. While the exact removal date remains unannounced, the notes clarify that new downloads will be blocked. Existing users can still re-download the app, but functionality on future OS versions will be unreliable.
Key details from the iOS & iPadOS 27 Beta 2 Release Notes:
AirPort Utility
Deprecations
- New users will lose access to AirPort Utility via the App Store. Previously downloaded copies remain re-downloadable, though performance on iOS 27 and later systems carries no guarantees. (158364073)
macOS 27 Golden Gate Beta 2 Release Notes add:
AirPort Utility
Deprecations
- Fresh macOS installations will exclude the app entirely. Devices upgrading from older macOS versions retain AirPort Utility, but core functions may break starting with macOS 27. (158248382)
Apple’s silence on an official removal timeline suggests a phased approach, with final retirement likely tied to the full release of iOS 27 and macOS 27 later this year. The company warns users to expect compatibility issues in beta and future OS updates.
This development follows recent reports that macOS 27 will drop support for file-sharing protocols used by Apple’s discontinued Time Capsule hardware, rendering it incompatible with Time Machine backups. A Microsoft engineer recently published a workaround to restore Time Capsule functionality, even as Apple phases out the configuration tool for legacy networking devices.
